Sunday, 12 November 2017

Chen Haiwen | China's 56 Ethnic Groups

Whilst in Shanghai, I was very pleased to meet with Mr Chen Haiwen; a master photographer, the founder of Shanghai Museum of Antique Cameras, the recipient of the highest photography award in China twice in a row and Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Photography Association. He and his family were a model of gracious hospitality and assistance.Between the summers of 2008 and 2009, he and his support teams visited 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, 554 cities and counties of China (and Taiwan), to produce The Family Photos of China's 56 Ethnic Groups.Mr Chen and his team took 57,228 family photos of 1,125 cultural heritage ethnic group representatives. These are analog images that provide a complete ethnographic record of China's 56 ethnic groups.Using a VIP invitation to the Shanghai PhotoFairs, I posed in front of one of Mr Chen's large format images.

At Shanghai PhotoFairs

Aside from his masterly work with China's ethnic groups, take a look at his monochrome photographs which are in a separate gallery titled Zǎoqí Zuòpǐn (Early Works) which presents various images from (presumably) Shanghai and other towns....street and interiors.

About The Travel Photographer

Based in New York City, I am a freelance photographer specializing in documenting endangered cultures
and traditional life ways of Asia, Latin America and Africa. My images, articles and photo features were published in various magazines, and my travel photographs were featured by some of the largest adventure travel companies in the United States and Great Britain, as well as in multinational corporations' art collections. My photographs have been acquired by an eclectic range of clients; from the Standard Chartered’ Bank's permanent art collection to Spike TV.

I also organize and lead photo expeditions and workshops for photographers who share my enthusiasm for unusual cultures,
uncommon locations and lesser known festivals. I'm a faculty member at the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop, and give workshops at the Travel Photographer Society (Kuala Lumpur).